These are
strange times. In early January, I won a Ruger,
10/22, semiautomatic rifle as a door prize;
something I needed, as all my other .22s began as
birthday gifts to my children, so left home when
they did. My rimfire arsenal was down to one rusted,
single-shot, bolt action Marlin, adequate for
plinking, but little else. I explained my good
fortune to my son-in-law, Tim, and he said “good
luck finding ammunition.”

I laughed thinking he was kidding. Rimfire
ammunition is ubiquitous and every convenience,
hardware store and gas station in Montana has dusty
boxes of .22 shells sitting on a shelf in a back
corner anxious to become the property of a
twelve-year-old boy intent on plinking holes in
empty pop cans. This is America and the supply of
.22 shells is simply never a problem. Is it?

Two days later, the trophy wife and I ventured into
Scheels and walked over to the ammunition
department. Immediately below a bold yellow sign
emblazoned with the words “Rimfire Ammo” stood a
stack of five shelves, four feet wide, twelve inches
deep crammed to capacity with empty. The shelves
were completely bare. I dropped to my hands and
knees and thrust my preg-checking arm behind the
shelf searching for misplaced boxes which might have
dropped from sight over the years. I scored one
carton and as I examined the box another ammo patron
walked up and whispered, “Big Bear just received a
shipment of .22 shells.” We kept our voices low like
we were executing a drug deal; I thanked him and
hustled to checkout. Moments later in Big Bear, the
trophy wife and I purchased all the .22 shells each
customer was allotted plus a case of 12 gauge shells
and a couple cases of .357 magnums. If there was
going to be an ammo shortage caused by hoarders, I
would rather cause than be caught by one. These are
strange times and here is why I told you this.

The last of my gun bills, HB459, passed out of House
Judiciary, so the next stop is Second Reading on the
House floor. HB459 is an “act prohibiting a
healthcare provider from refusing or conditioning
care if a person refuses to provide information
relating to firearm ownership, possession or use.”
Casual consumers of news dismiss this bill as
meaningless, yet it may become the single act which
stands between your fundamental right to keep and
bear arms and their confiscation. I shake my head in
disbelief when I hear sunshine patriots boast the
government “can have my guns when they pry them from
my cold dead fingers” all while voting gun control
advocates into public office. They will never make
the connection until eventually they surrender all
their firearms without firing a shot. Here is how
this will happen and my reasons for HB459.

On January 16, 2013, President Obama released 23
“Gun Violence Reduction Executive Actions” of which
Action #2, #14, #16, #17, #21, and #22 utilize the
national healthcare system to collect gun ownership
information. As Obamacare grows over the next
decade, unwary citizens will voluntarily divulge
firearm ownership information including serial
numbers in exchange for routine healthcare. Through
the power of incrementalism, placing this
information in a federal database seems harmless at
first.

However, someday in the future, imagine a loved one
in your care needing critical medical attention, so
you rush into an Obamacare facility because no other
option exists. Healthcare enforcers examine your
medical records and announce the Public Safety
Authority has handed down Rule 1040 declaring all
semiautomatic rifles, including .22s, are applicable
only for military purposes. You must surrender your
previously identified Ruger, 10/22 prior to your
loved one receiving treatment. With no other choice
you do. Scoffers might dismiss my warnings as fear
mongering; something which would never happen. If
you believe me and I am wrong, America has lost
nothing. If you ignore me and I am right, America
has lost everything. How much are you willing to
risk? Shouldn’t we stop this now?